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Poland elects its first openly gay mayor Poland elects its first openly gay mayor
(35 minutes later)
Robert Biedron already made history once in Poland by becoming the first openly gay parliamentarian in 2011. He now celebrates another first, becoming the country’s first openly gay mayor.Robert Biedron already made history once in Poland by becoming the first openly gay parliamentarian in 2011. He now celebrates another first, becoming the country’s first openly gay mayor.
The 38-year-old’s political successes are a marker of how quickly this deeply conservative and Catholic country has changed in the decade since it joined the European Union. Back then, in 2004, gay rights marches were still being banned in Warsaw and homosexuality was treated as a huge taboo. Since then a growing acceptance of gay and lesbian people has arrived hand-in-hand with a flourishing economy.The 38-year-old’s political successes are a marker of how quickly this deeply conservative and Catholic country has changed in the decade since it joined the European Union. Back then, in 2004, gay rights marches were still being banned in Warsaw and homosexuality was treated as a huge taboo. Since then a growing acceptance of gay and lesbian people has arrived hand-in-hand with a flourishing economy.
“I see how fast Polish society has learned its lesson of tolerance,” Biedron said two days before he was elected on Sunday to be mayor of Slupsk, a city near the Baltic sea. “So I am very optimistic and happy with Polish society and proud.”“I see how fast Polish society has learned its lesson of tolerance,” Biedron said two days before he was elected on Sunday to be mayor of Slupsk, a city near the Baltic sea. “So I am very optimistic and happy with Polish society and proud.”
In what the Polish media are calling “the Biedron effect,” a record number of candidates also came out publicly before the local elections, which took place in two rounds over the last two weeks. In what the Polish media are calling “the Biedron effect”, a record number of candidates also came out publicly before the local elections, which took place in two rounds over the last two weeks.
None of the others won seats, but gay rights activists are still hugely encouraged by the willingness of more and more public figures to come out. Their poor showing is partly because they were mostly young, first-time candidates with left wing parties, which saw little support. None of the others won seats, but gay rights activists are hugely encouraged by the willingness of more and more public figures to come out. Their poor showing is partly because they were mostly young, first-time candidates with leftwing parties, which gained little support.
“These people have enormous courage,” said Mariusz Kurc, editor of Polish gay advocacy magazine Replika, who. “These people have enormous courage,” said Mariusz Kurc, editor of Polish gay advocacy magazine Replika.
He tells a story that shows the speed of the change. Before 2011 elections, he used his magazine’s Facebook page to call on gay candidates to come out. None did. But this around, people started writing in to say they would be happy to be publicly identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Nearly 20 had come out by election day. He tells a story that shows the speed of the change. Before 2011 elections, he used his magazine’s Facebook page to call on gay candidates to come out. None did. But this time around, people started writing in to say they would be happy to be publicly identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual. Nearly 20 had come out by election day.
“This was record breaking,” Kurc said.“This was record breaking,” Kurc said.